The Alarmist

Heinrich Grigoris explains the sales approach to his new recruit Tommy Hudler, outlining a ruthless but effective way to push home security systems. Tommy starts making calls, learning the routine, and closes his first sale. This opening sequence establishes the power dynamic between mentor and apprentice.

Tommy closes a sale with Gale Anconca at her house and meets her teenage son, Howard. The encounter introduces a personal angle to the business and foreshadows the later tragedy. The sale marks the start of a complicated relationship.

Tommy attends a celebratory dinner with Gale and her acquaintances after the sale. He then installs Gale's security code and, impulsively, he and Gale sleep together. The line between work and romance becomes blurred.

Heinrich informs Tommy that he will be the spokesman for a new commercial. During the shoot, Tommy performs well and receives congratulations from Heinrich, cementing his rising status within the operation. The success strengthens their bond and raises the stakes.

Tommy's relationship with Gale grows, and he suggests they go on vacation to enjoy privacy. Gale warns that their relationship isn't too serious, which reflects the fragile line between personal life and a criminal scheme.

Driving home from a bar, Heinrich stops at a house he had secured before and they break in through the back. The alarm triggers and they flee, and Heinrich dismisses it as 'just business.' This incident is meant to fuel sales momentum.

The homeowner praises the security system in a call, which Heinrich uses to justify the manipulative acts. Tommy remains skeptical about the surge in incidents, while his secretary hints at the grim reality behind the statistics.

Tommy learns Gale and Howard have been killed, and he is brought to identify their bodies at the morgue. The police report a break-in and suggest the robber panicked during the crime.

Tommy dreams of Gale and is haunted by the thought of who is behind the killings. He confronts Heinrich, who denies involvement in Gale and Howard's deaths, creating a suspenseful tension between them.

Tommy secretly follows Heinrich and watches him attempt to break into the Fielding house. Mr. Fielding fires at Heinrich, who dodges bullets and escapes after the confrontation leaves the homeowner wounded but alive.

The next day, Tommy asks Heinrich whether he is responsible for Gale and Howard's deaths and decides to quit the operation. He later encounters April, Howard's girlfriend, who witnesses his emotional turmoil and reacts to the unfolding events.

April intervenes, striking Heinrich with a metal pipe and they tie him up. They place Heinrich in the car, but Tommy drives off with him, leaving April behind as the situation spirals toward justice.

Tommy makes a late-night call to check for updates, and the detective informs him that the real killer has been caught and confessed. Heinrich is freed from captivity; the story closes with an epilogue revealing that Heinrich left crime, Tommy found a brief acting career and married, and Gale and Howard were the fifth and sixth victims of the actual contractor.